Since it’s finally cold outside, I thought it would be a great time to enjoy a warm, creamy soup that is bursting with flavor. And, it’s dairy free! My whole family loves this and it’s a great feel-good after school snack. It’s also very versatile. We add spicy sausage to it, or some ground turkey, even some grass-fed hot dogs.

1 teaspoon black pepper (it was a little spicy for the kids but they still liked it)

Fresh chives and crispy bacon for garnish

Start by cutting your bacon into 1-inch slices. Then, in a large pot, cook the bacon on medium (stirring every few minutes) until it is brown. It should take about 8 minutes. Keep your bacon grease! Throw in your chopped onion and whole garlic and cook until the onions soften and the garlic starts to brown.

While that is cooking, cut your cauliflower into florets and then add those to the pot along with about 3 cups of chicken broth (just enough so that it’s about 2 inches from the top of the cauliflower). Turn the stove up to high so the chicken broth can come to a boil. Once it does, cover the pot, and turn the stove to low. You might want to use a knife at this point to cut the cauliflower some more so it can all cook in the broth. Allow to steam for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork tender, then add the coconut milk.

Let the mixture cool, then blend it on high with your Vitamix for about 90 seconds to get it smooth and creamy. It probably won’t all fit in one batch, so have a big glass or metal bowl nearby to hold your first batch while you blend the rest. Alternatively, you could use an immersion blender to blend until smooth; it’s much easier but you won’t get the light and fluffy texture from it. Garnish with some spicy sausage, chives, or even some cheese (if you eat dairy) and enjoy!

He’s always happy to share…

Well, to a point… I don’t think he thought it was quite as funny as she did when she stole his lunch.

Mmm, it just feels good going down.

Landria Voigt, C.H.H.C., is the Nutritional Consultant and Public Speaker at Dr. Taz’s Atlanta Center for Holistic & Integrative Medicine office. She is a graduate of The University of Georgia and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is author of the popular family and nutritional blog Stir It Up! where she shares her healthy recipes aimed at pleasing even the most finicky of palates, as well as forward-thinking ideas about nutrition. And she is author of the book Super Paleo Snacks coming out in December 2014.